Archaic Plastic Vases from Isthmia

ARCHAIC PLASTIC VASES FROM ISTHMIA

(PLATES 53-60)

FEWERTHAN TWENTY completeand fragmentaryArchaic plastic vases were found in the excavations conductedby the University of Chicago at Isthmia between 1952 and 1967.1 They are all of recognizablyCorinthian fabric and represent only a tiny percentageof the mass of Corinthian pottery found in the excavationsin the Sanctuaryof Poseidon. Plastic vases in the forms of common animals, mythical creatures,and human figures were producedat Corinth beginning in the Protocorinthianperiod and continuing into the Middle Corinthian period of the 6th century B.C.They were exported far and wide and appear whereverCorinthian pottery is found. Their small mouths and the elegant shapes of the most carefully made examples have led to the assumption that they were exported as much for their contents as for themselves. As a class they are relatively rare; perhaps no more than four hundred or so are known at the present time. Figure vases are found in all sorts of contexts. The greater number show up in graves, especially when they have been importedfrom far away, but some are also found in domesticcontexts. A few, as at Isthmia, are found in sanctuaries,where they are assumedto be dedications,although the use of their contentsin cult practiceis a possibility.2

1 The traditionalterm "plasticvase", derived from the word 7rXao-Tr&'"formed or molded",is not a happy one, not only because it is perhaps inappropriatefor handmadeor wheelmadevases but also becauseit is liable to confusionwith the modernmaterial "plastic".I have attempted,apparently without much success,to popu- larize the term "figurevase" for these little vases. This term was in fact used as early as 1930 by Winifred Lamb in CVA, Cambridge1 [Great Britain 6]. The one thing all these little vases have in commonis that they are in the form of a "figure"of some kind or another. I must express my thanks to Elizabeth Gebhard, present Director of the University of Chicago Excava- tions at Isthmia, for her enthusiasmfor this study and for encouragingme to publish these vases in Hesperia. The initial researchwas partially fundedby a grant from the ResearchCouncil of the University of Missouri- Columbia, and the article was written while in Athens as Elizabeth Whitehead Visiting Professor for 1989-1990. New photographsof most of the objectswere made by I. Ioannidouamd L. Barzioti; Pls. 54:c-e and 55:a, d, e are by Frank Nesbit. Context informationwas providedby the Isthmia Excavations,and appre- ciation goes to Fritz Hemans for providing last-minute help. In the Catalogue, fabric is described with referenceto the Munsell Soil Color Chart (Baltimore 1975). "NB" in the Catalogue abbreviates"Excavation Notebook". Works frequentlycited are abbreviatedas follows: Amyx = D. A. Amyx, Corinthian Vase Painters of the ArchaicPeriod I-III, Berkeley 1988 Broneer = 0. Broneer,"Excavations at Isthmia, Fourth Campaign, 1957-1958," Hesperia 28,1959, pp. 298-343 Ducat = J. Ducat, "Les vases plastiques corinthiens,"BCH 87, 1963, pp. 431-458 PerachoraI = H. Payne et al., Perachora.The Sanctuariesof Hera Akraiaand Limenia I, Oxford 1940 PerachoraII = Perachora.The Sanctuariesof Hera Akraiaand Limenia II, T. J. Dunbabin, ed., Oxford 1962 Phillips = K. Phillips, Jr., "Notes from Berlin on a Bronze Owl," OpRom 17, 1989, pp. 97-122 2 Corinthianfigure vases have not yet been studied from the point of view of context or function, although these aspects will be consideredin a future publication by the undersigned.As at Isthmia, Corinthian figure vases are always a very small percentageof the finds from sanctuaries.The recent publication of the Greek pottery from the Demeter and Kore sanctuaryat Corinth revealedonly five completeCorinthian figure vases

American School of Classical Studies at Athens is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve, and extend access to Hesperia ® www.jstor.org 228 WILLIAM R. BIERS

The plastic vases from Isthmia were found throughoutthe sanctuary,and many of them came from the lower levels of the Large Circular Pit, located at the southwest cornerof the excavationarea (1-3, 8, 9, 11, 14, 16).3 Since later materialcame from even the lowest levels of the pit, the context here can not be used to date the plastic vases and fragmentsfrom these levels. In fact, none of the vases came from closed 6th-centurydeposits, as is made clear by the context informationprovided in the Catalogue (pp. 235-238 below). Of the 18 figure vases and fragments,the greaternumber (13) are fragmentsof common Corinthian animal vases, particularlyhares and rams. Where heads or characteristicbody parts are preserved,there is no problem identifying what animal is represented (1-3, 9, hares;4-8, rams). A number of fragmentsmended into parts of bodies (10-13), but such is the nature of the mass-producedCorinthian plastic vases of this type that it is difficultto tell what animal is intended: different creatures could be created simply by adding different heads to standardizedbodies. These 13 fragmentsof the Corinthianperiod are presentedin the Cataloguebelow. Five additionalvases and pieces of vases (14-18) are of special interest as representingnew types or versionsof types within the Corinthianrepertoire. Their basic informationis given in the Catalogue (pp. 237-238), but detaileddescription and discussion appear in the text below. A single fragmentof a squatting male figure was found in the Large Circular Pit (14; P1. 56).4 The corpulent figure is portrayed seated with his legs drawn up. His head is unfortunatelybroken away, and there is a hole broken in his chest below the right hand. The hand is modeled with the fingers indicated and appears to grasp something, now broken away, that extends down from his head, probably a beard. The hand is clearly holding something that extends slightly below the fist and is painted black. Reddish glaze can be seen at the break above the hand on the right side (P1. 56:c). The left arm terminates in a finished, oval end; there is no hand indicated,nor was it broken away. The corpulent body shows many traces of hand modeling, and there is no evidence that the figure was wheelmade, although being relatively intact, it is difficult to be certain. The plastically rendered arms and legs were apparently outlined in glaze paint, some of which still sur- vives. Only a small section of the hair is preservedon the figure's right side, still covered and two fragments:E. G. Pemberton, Corinth, XVIII, i, The Sanctuaryof Demeter and Kore: The Greek Pottery, Princeton 1989, p. 178. 3 For the Large Circular Pit (Trench H) see Broneer, pp. 301-303; idem, "Excavations at Isthmia 1951-1961," Hesperia 31, 1962, pp. 1-2; idem, Isthmia, II, Topographyand Architecture,Princeton 1973, pp. 22-24, 135-136. As Broneer describesthe pit, it was filled when the temenos was landscapedafter the constructionof the Classical Temple of Poseidon. Study of the contentsis not complete,but the admixture of later material makes it appear that the pit was not filled before the beginning of the 4th century B.C. Most of the contentsare votivesfrom within and aroundthe ArchaicTemple of Poseidonthat burnedca. 470 B.C., and many bear marks of burning. Since there is only one fire known at this time in the sanctuary, the burning marks indicate that the objectsmust have been originally close to, if not within, the temple. The information given for the Lots in the Catalogue indicatesthe date of the latest pottery found with each figure vase or fragment. For a trench plan of the excavations of 1952-1967, see M. Sturgeon, Isthmia, IV, Sculpture I: 1952-1967, Princeton 1987, plan III = E. Gebhard and F. Hemans, "Universityof Chicago Excavationsat Isthmia, 1989: I," Hesperia 61, 1992, p. 11, fig. 3. 4 Broneer, no. 10, pp. 335-336, pl. 71:a, b. The vase is illustrated in A. Pickard-Cambridge,Dithyramb Tragedyand Comedy,2nd ed., T. B. L. Webster, rev., Oxford 1962, pl. X:b. The caption says "with drinking horn in hand."The figure is most probablygrasping his beard, as suggestedby Broneer. ARCHAIC PLASTIC VASES FROM ISTHMIA 229 with black glaze filled red in some places. This preservedsection indicates that the figure must have had solid wiglike hair that ended well above the shoulder.The head was apparently pierced transverselyat this point, for the lower portion of the horizontal hole is preserved.There was also a vertical filling hole in the head. A third hole is piercedthrough the under surface (P1. 56:e). The figure is liberally decoratedin black glaze, shadingto brown. A dot field coversthe upper body and probably represents a hairy chest, for the nipples are indicated by dotted circles. The field extends upwards only to the arm on the right side and only slightly above the nipple on the left. Below, two male figures are painted in profile, facing the outline of an erect phallos, now broken away. The ithyphallic left-hand figure appears to touch the phallos with his left hand as does the right-hand figure, who may not be ithyphallic. He appears to hold a clublike objectin his left hand, probablya phallos or a dildo.5 Dot rosettesdecorate each knee of the figure, and four large circulardesigns are painted on his back, which is divided in two by an uneven, vertical stripe of black glaze (P1. 56:d). The two upper designs, as those on the knees, appear to be dot rosetteswith their dots fused together,a form that does not seem to be canonical,at least in the developmentof the dot rosette as a filling ornamentin Corinthianvase painting, as outlined by Amyx. Perhaps they should be called "fusedpinwheel rosettes".Their form suggests an early date, but an exact parallel is difficult to find.6The two lower designs are based on the wheel, the one on the right having six spokes. The one on the left has only four spokes, with dotted circles between them. The Isthmia figure 14 has been linked to the familiar group of squatting male figures conventionallycalled "komasts",but it shows several peculiar features not present in the core group.7 The members of this group are invariably males, representedas sitting with their knees drawn up to the body. They usually wear boots and exhibit a dot field over the front of the body and sometimes extending to the sides. It often shows borders, giving the impressionof a garment, although sometimesit is consideredto be simply a representation of a hairy body. These vases were generally made in half-molds with hands, feet, phalloi, and heads added separately, although a few early(?) examples are reportedto have been wheelmade,and there are handmadeexamples.8 The hand modelingof the arms and legs on

I The figure is too small and indistinctto be able to tell with certaintywhat is illustrated. 6 Amyx (II, p. 372) gives the developmentof this filling ornamentas first, the pinwheel rosette,followed by the dot-clusterrosettes, fused dot-clusterrosettes, dot in circle, and finally the solid, incised rosette.Sloppiness might be to blame for the strange form on 14, which appears to be oddly paralleledin a local Sicilian imitation of a Transitional Corinthianolpe: Amyx III, pl. 130. 7 Broneer, pp. 335-336. For the typical Corinthian komast vase, see Ducat, figs. 7, 11, 15-17 and the discussionby Amyx (II, pp. 530-532). 8 R. A. Higgins (Catalogueof the Terracottasin the Departmentof Greekand Roman Antiquities,British Museum II, London 1959, p. 39) lists three "earlier... apparentlywheel-made" examples. One of these is the plastic vase from Isthmia, one is from the Louvre, and one is in the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. The Oxford example (G 1291) is a fragment of the lower half of the figure and clearly shows wheel marks. I am indebtedto Michael Vickers for allowing me to examine this piece. As indicatedabove, it is possible that the Isthmia figure is handmade. Perhaps to be added to this wheelmade group on the basis of its bulbous body is the komast once in the Musee de l'Art et d'Histoire, Geneva:J. Chamay and J.-L. Maier, Cramiques corinthiennes,Geneva 1984, pp. 140-141; Antiquities (Sotheby, London,July 13, 1987), no. 189. 230 WILLIAM R. BIERS

14 and their outlining with glaze paint are paralleledin the handmade,sacklike, squatting- man vase in Munich, consideredCorinthian by Maximova, Payne, and Buschor and dated to the third quarter of the 7th centuryby Lullies (P1. 57:a).9 Although the pose of the Isthmia figure is similar to that of the core group of Corinthian komasts,the position of the arms is unique. Corinthiankomast vases either have both hands together at chest level or have one there and the other lower. Never does one hand grasp a beard, as ours appears to do. The lack of a left hand is an unusual feature but is paralleled in an Early Corinthiankomast from Corinththat also has a handlessleft arm (P1.57:b).1I It is a pity that the head of the Isthmia vase is missing; the short wig is unusual, as is the transverse string hole. The short hair in a solid mass would seem to be an early feature, present in several Protocorinthianfigure vases in the form of squatting men.1"The head was pierced verticallyfor filling, as would be expected,but the secondaryhole in the base is unexpectedand difficultto explain.12The dot-fielddecoration is appropriatefor the komast figures, as mentionedabove; here it appears to representa hairy chest. As has been indicated,various details suggest a relatively early date for this vase, perhaps as early as the Early Corinthianperiod in the late 7th century, and it may be an early example of the komast type before the form had been fully developed. The head of what may be another, but cruder, komast plastic vase is shown in Plate 57:c, d (15). A simple hole through the top of the head servedfor filling, and a single, hori- zontally placed lug is placed behind the head. The neck of the pot was pinched in to form a nose and two eyes, each renderedby a black dot surroundedby two circles of black glaze. Black paint is also preservedon the head and down the sides of the neck, overlappingthe edge of the garment(?),where it perhaps representshair. Traces of black are also preserved below the eyes on either side of the nose, and faint traces of paint suggest that originally a beard was indicated.The figure appears to wear a garment which is dotted and, across its chest, seems to have a decoratedborder, or perhaps there is a necklaceconsisting of a line of short, upright rectangles between parallel lines. A curved border on the left side of the fragmentat the front, close to the break, indicatesfurther decoration. These handmadefigures are difficultto date, and no parallels suggest themselves,other than general ones to "bird-face"figurines with pinchedfaces. The curvingvase body and the

9 Munich, Staatliche Antikensammlungen6636: M. I. Maximova, Les vasesplastiques dans l'antiquite, trans. Carsow, Paris 1927, no. 168, p. 143, pl. 45; H. Payne, Necrocorinthia,Oxford 1931, p. 173; E. Bu- schor, "Satyrtanzeund friuhesDrama," SBMiunch 1943, 5, p. 10; CVA, Munich 3 [Germany9], p. 46, pl. 148 [430]:7-9. This figure'sback also has a vertical center stripe. I would like to thank Dr. BertholdKaeser of the StaatlicheAntikensammlungen in Munich for informationconcerning this vase and for permissionto publish the photographof it. 10 C-62-624: D. A. Amyx and P. Lawrence, Corinth,VII, ii, Archaic CorinthianPottery and the Anaploga Well, Princeton 1975, no. AN 343, p. 165, pl. 84. Appreciationgoes to the Corinth Excavationsfor permission to publish the photographof this fragment. 11K. Wallenstein, KorinthischePlastik des 7. und 6. Jahrhundertsvor Christus,Bonn 1971, nos. 1A 1-3, p. 95, pls. 1, 2. 12 Broneer (p. 336) refers to "thetrick use of holes for manipulatingthe contents,"but it is hard to see just how this would work, particularlyif these vases containedperfumes or perfumedoils as is generally thought. Presumablythe vase was fired with its pierced head on, and so a firing hole in this position would not have been needed. Protocorinthianfigure vases often had filling holes in anatomicallycorrect places on such figures as birds, but to my knowledge Corinthiankomast vases had only a single hole, located in the head. ARCHAIC PLASTIC VASES FROM ISTHMIA 231 neck decorationbring to mind the late Early Corinthian komast from Corinth (P1. 57:b), but there the head is molded.13 Vertically pierced, crude handmadeheads occasionallyturn up, and they may not have all belongedto crude versionsof the komastvases.14 A complete vase in the form of a standing duck was also recoveredfrom the Large Circular Pit (16; P1. 58).15 The bird is depictedstanding with its head pointing downwards so that the bill rests on its chest and is attached there. Its long neck loops upwards, the resulting hole probablyserving for a string so that the vase could be suspended,as are most Corinthianplastic vases. A simple hole in the top of the head servedfor filling (P1. 58:b). Its feet are two long strips of clay. Although it is difficultto be certain, the body was probably made in two half-molds with the feet and neck added. The vase was decoratedwith both incision and paint. Incision was used extensively:for the eyes (a simple circle within a circle), the markingson the bill, the outline of the wings, the single row of flight feathers, and the overlappingoval scale pattern on the back. Little trace of color remains on the head; the chest was apparently simply painted black, and traces of black glaze can still be seen. Relativelylarge amountsof red are preservedon the shoulderpanels (wing coverts),and the incised flight feathersalternated red and black, accordingto the preservedtraces. The black, incised scale pattern on the back was brightenedby white dots, apparently placed one in each scale, but the conditionof the surfaceof the back makes it difficultto be certainof their distribution. Ducks are relatively scarceamong the plastic vases of Corinth, but there are numerous examples from East Greece.16There is a well-known duck from Corinth in Berlin, generally consideredProtocorinthian, whose head is in a similar position but without the neck loop and with the filling hole under the tail.17There are fragmentsof two duck vases from Perachora.One preservesthe head, upper neck, and a non-joiningfragment of the body and is decoratedwith a dot field and purple-paintedfeathers. 1" The beak is attachedto the lower neck, which is shorter and not looped. The orifice of the vessel is in the head, and a hole, presumablyfor suspension, is pierced through the bill just where it joins the head. A fragment of a secondvase is only a head, but enough is preservedto show that it was in the same pose, bill flat on the neck, as the other Corinthian examples.19Perhaps the downward- pointing head attached to the body can be cited as one of the characteristicsof Corinthian plastic vases in the shape of ducks. The orifice is again in the head, and this time a hole is pierced through the head where the eyes should be, again presumably for suspension. A

13 Amyx and Lawrence, loc. cit. (note 10 above). 14 For instance, Corinth KP 2302 from the Potters' Quarter is a handmadehead, apparentlyfrom a figure vase of unknown shape:A. N. Stillwell and J. L. Benson, Corinth,XV, iii, The Potters'Quarter: The Pottery, Princeton 1984, no. 1429, p. 257, pl. 59. 15 Broneer,no. 5, p. 334, pl. 70:e. 16 For East Greek waterfowl see J. Ducat, Les vasesplastiques rhodiens archaiques en terrecuite (BEFA-R 209), Paris 1966, pp. 91-94. For ducks in Robertson'sGroup of East Greek figure vases see W. Biers, "The Dozing Duck: A Rare Plastic Vase," Muse 18, 1984, pp. 26-34. Ducks are also popular in Etruria and other western areas (see note 17 below). 17 Berlin, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, AntikensammlungV.I. 3676. For new photos and relevant bibliography, see Phillips, p. 106, note 40, p. 118, fig. 25:a, b. 18 PerachoraI, no. 202, p. 236, pl. 105, dated by Jenkins to the late 7th or early 6th centuryand by Ducat, "less convincingly"(Amyx II, p. 518), not before the mid-6th century. 19Perachora I, no. 203, p. 236, pl. 106, dated as "?VIc"by Jenkins. 232 WILLIAM R. BIERS body fragmentthat appears to belong to another duck vase was found at Corinth in 1954.2o Preservedis the beginning of the curve of the neck and a portion of the shoulder panels, which are decoratedin a black-glazed incised scale pattern with red dots apparently ran- domly sprinkledin the scales. The scale pattern at the shouldersrecalls a similar decoration on Protocorinthianowls and on the back of 16.21 Although stylistic dating of the Isthmian duck is hazardousat best, it is probablybest placed in the Corinthianperiod, perhaps in the early 6th century.22 A single, very worn fragment of a female-headedanimal vase was found in 1966 (17; P1. 59). Only the upper part of the creatureis preserved,consisting of a moldmadehead on a wheelmadebody. The head is piercedvertically with a simple hole in the typical Corinthian method for filling plastic vases. From underneathit can be seen that the hole was simply punchedthrough from abovewith a dowel-like instrument.Two suspensionholes were also bored on either side of the neck. The hair is treated as a solid mass, scalloped in shallow waves over the foreheadand falling straight down to where it is offset from the body of the creature. Two rectangularslabs of clay were added on both side of the face, adding to the wiglike quality of the hair. This is an unusual feature for Corinthian plastic vases but is known in terracottasin which, occasionally,side hair is not striatedbut simply treated as a solid, rectangularmass.23 The vase was once highly decorated,but only traces of the painted decorationare now visible; in many cases only "ghosts"of the black glaze are preserved,and these are so faint that it is difficultto be certain of the details. Patches of black are to be seen on the hair, and traces of white can be made out on the right side of the face. An interestingdetail is that the hair was shown to end in a wavy border;traces of this bordercan still be seen on the body of the animal, just below the offset hair. It is best preservedon the left side of the creature (P1. 59:a). Similarly, each of the rectangular locks on either side of the face was visually continued onto the body of the animal by a painted extension, only vaguely visible in the photographs(cf. P1. 59:a). Three rectangularprojections extend down below each slab, as if to representthe tied and decoratedbottom of the wig. Visible below the chin and between the suspension lines are the faint remains of three lines indicating that perhaps a necklace was originally represented.The body of the creaturewas coveredwith a dot field, both over the chest below the presumednecklace and above and behind the wings. The wings of the creature curved upwards on its back and are for the most part preserved only in faint traces, with the exception of relatively large amounts of purple on the shoulder panels. The flight feathers consist of two rows of oval feathers, the second, larger

20 C-54-11: M. C. Roebuck, "Excavationsat Corinth: 1954," Hesperia 24, 1955, p. 152, pl. 60:10 (dated Middle Corinthian, "earlypart of the sixth century,"p. 152). 21 For Protocorinthianowls see Phillips, figs. 16, 17, 19. 22 Amyx (II, p. 518, note 318) consideredthe vase "apparently"Protocorinthian and said it closely resem- bled Protocorinthianowl vases. This is presumablybased on the general body shape and the incision, but the filling hole placed in the head and the long added feet might better place it in the Corinthianperiod. 23 See the figurinesPerachora I, no. 38, pl. 91 (datedto the end of the 7th century);A. N. Stillwell, Corinth, XV, ii, The Potters' Quarter:The Terracottas,Princeton 1952, no. VIII.6, p. 63, pl. 10 (dated "somewhere near the end of the third quarter of the 7th century or the beginning of the last quarter");ibid., no. VIII.12, p. 66, pl. 11 (dated last quarter of the 7th century). ARCHAIC PLASTIC VASES FROM ISTHMIA 233 row curvingup over the back almost to the neck. On the right side the full extent of the wing is preserved.It is completed before the break, which has a very slight upward curve (just visible in Plate 59:c), and this perhaps gives a hint as to the identificationof the creature portrayed. The animal could be either a siren or a sphinx, for a female head on a winged body is appropriatefor either creature in the repertoire of Corinthian plastic vases. The typical Corinthian siren vase, however, has a more rounded, globular bird body, with the female head generally set higher.2417 seems to have a longer body, more appropriateto a recum- bent, four-legged animal such as a sphinx. Sphinxes are not numerous among Corinthian figure vases, but where they exist, they share one peculiarity with another four-footed animal, the lion: a tail. The tail in vases representingboth creaturesis renderedplastically and is shown elegantly curvedup over the flank and drapedover the back. The raised lip at the break on 17 could be the remains of such an appendage;the fact that the wings are very short and terminatebefore the break indicatesthat somethingwas once there. The Isthmia sphinx vase does not find a close parallel among the other known examples of sphinxes from Corinth. Ducat divided the 11 examples he knew into three groups, only one of which has painted wings ("Groupedu Visage Attentif"),but this group is completely different from 17, with stylized, vertical feathers and more elongated bodies. A shorter, more compactbody is found on the only example of a sphinx in Ducat's "Groupede Megara Hyblaea".25Here, however, the creatureis wingless and faces to her left, rather than fron- tally. She was, on the other hand, highly finished with an elaboratenecklace. Other Corinthiansphinx vases with horizontallypainted wings did apparentlyexist, to judge from a fragment of one found in Corinth in 1902 but now missing. The small illus- tration published seems to indicatethat a portionof the shoulderpanel was preservedon the right side of fragmentsand that she also wore a necklace.26 Chronologically,plastic vases in the form of sphinxes belong to the Corinthian period; no Protocorinthianexamples have yet been recognized,although the creatureis well represented in the painting of the period. The date has to be determinedon style, and both earlier and later features are present.27The unstriated,vertical hair mass appears in figurines of the late 7th century,as has been mentioned,but it is unclearhow chronologicallysignificant this may be. In Corinthian painting, wings are usually depictedwith a single row of flight feathers,springing from a solid painted shoulder,but double and even triple rows may be an early feature, certainlyto be seen on Protocorinthianplastic vases.28A few examples of two rows of wing featherssimilar to 17, however, are known in Early Corinthian.29The overall

24 Ducat, p. 451, figs. 22, 23. 25 For these two groups, see Ducat, pp. 439-440, 447-450. For the sphinx in the Groupe de Megara Hy- blaea, Syracuse 11343, see Ducat, p. 448, fig. 14. Ducat's third group, Groupe Stathatos,comprises side-facing sphinxes with cylindrical,relatively coarsely modeled bodies, very differentfrom 17; see Ducat, p. 445. 26 D. M. Robinson, "Ointment-Vasesfrom Corinth,"AJA 10, 1906, p. 425, fig. 4. This article published five Corinthian plastic vases which are no longer in Corinth. See the discussionof Phillips, p. 104, note 27. 27 This fragmentcame from a mixed context with a lower date in the 5th century, Isthmia Lot 2284. 28 Illustrationsof Protocorinthianavian vases can be found in F. Johansen, "Der er Uglen," MedK0b 32, 1975, pp. 99-118, esp. figs. 1-5, 7, 9-11, and more recently in Phillips, figs. 14-17, 19, 25, 31. 29 S. S. Weinberg, Corinth, VII, i, The Geometricand Orientalizing Pottery, Cambridge, Mass. 1943, no. 251, p. 65, pl. 34; PerachoraII, no. 1525, p. 143, pl. 59. 234 WILLIAM R. BIERS shape of the face and the scalloped hair also seem to fit better into the early 6th century, perhaps the first quarter.30 A problempiece is illustratedin Plate 59:d (18). A single fragmentof the lower portion of a bird body preservesthe stubbytail and a portionof the curvingside wall of the right side of the bird. A groovealong the right side delineatesthe resting surface.The undersideof the vessel was pierced for a filling hole, which was borderedon the body side by an enclosed- tongue design executed in now faded black glaze. The small, flat tail was also pierced, presumablyfor suspension.The hole appearsdistinctly off center,but the left side of the tail has been brokenaway. The body of the creatureas well as the tail was coveredwith a dot field. The fragmentwas found in the same trenchon the same day and is virtually identicalin fabric and faded decorationto 17. Both the excavatorand others have consideredit a non- joining fragmentof the sphinx vase. The filling hole in the undersidemakes this unlikely, however, for figure vases generally require only one filling hole, and the sphinx (17) was filled through the head. It is best to disassociatethe two fragments,and a very close parallel, in fact, exists to 18 in a completevase now in Vienna (P1. 60:a-c).31 The Vienna vase has a typically Corinthian avian form but is topped by a solid, crude head. The head is turned at an angle to the body (P1. 60:b) and is roughly worked;clay dots indicateeyes, and a relativelylarge beak has been brokenaway. The bird is coveredwith a dot field, with a row of enclosed-tonguedesign aroundthe neck and aroundthe filling hole, which is locatedunder the tail (P1.60:c), as on the Isthmiafragment. The tail of the Vienna bird also has a pierced hole in it, but the vase lacks the horizontal groove, apparentlyhaving a more roundedbody. The tongue design, identical on both fragments,is an early feature, as is the placementof the filling hole under the tail, a characteristicof Protocorinthianbird vases.32 A third example of this shape is in New York (P1.60:d, e).33The decorationis virtually identical except that the design around the filling hole consists of enclosed dots rather than enclosedtongues. The New York and Vienna birds and the Isthmia fragment (18) can be seen as consti- tuting a new group of Corinthian plastic vases in which Corinthian bird shapes retain Protocorinthiancharacteristics. Presumably, then, they should be dated early in the Early Corinthianperiod. The small collectionof vases from Isthmia has thus added new versions of Corinthian types, as well as a completely new example, to the body of Corinthian plastic vases. The

30 CompareCorinth XV, ii (note 23 above), no. XII.1, p. 98, pl. 17 and PerachoraI, no. 224, p. 108, pl. 108 (= Wallenstein [note 11 above],no. IVA1, p. 112, pl. 7:1, "Middle Corinthian"). 31 Vienna, KunsthistorischesMuseum, IV 3567. I must thank Dr. Bernhard-Walcherof the Kunsthisto- risches Museum for providing the photographs of this vase and permission to publish them. The vase is reportedto have been acquiredin Greece in the 19th century. 32 For the tongue design on early Protocorinthianvases, see K. Friis Johansen, Les vases sicyoniens, Paris/Copenhagen 1925, no. 5, pl. 5. For the location of filling holes in Protocorinthianbird vases, see Payne (note 9 above), p. 174. 33M.M.A. 41.162.22: CVA, Fogg Museum and Gallatin Collections [USA 8], Gallatin Collections, pp. 83-84, pl. 34 [381]:1;G. M. A. Richter,Handbook of the GreekCollection, Cambridge, Mass. 1953, p. 36, pl. 24:c. I would like to thank Joan Mertens for providingthe photographsand permission to publish them and for her support and encouragement. ARCHAIC PLASTIC VASES FROM ISTHMIA 235 plastic vase, by its very nature, invited new creations, as has been clearly shown by this group from the excavationsat Isthmia.

CATALOGUE

1. Head of a hare P1. 53:a on top of head. Ears attached to body, curve up at IP 2061A: Large Circular Pit, Trench H, at ends. Painted decorationmostly worn away; traces depth of 15.50-15.80 m.; NB 20, 1958, pp. 303, of double black stripe outlining ears can still be seen. 307; Lot 2342, first half 5th centuryB.C. This head, with ears attachedto the body, is a vari- P.L. 0.049, p.H. 0.035 m. ant of 1 and 2. For another variant with the ears White fabric, 5YR 8/1. attached but curving down at the ends, see Ducat, Single fragment preserving head and ears. Ears p. 457, fig. 26. treatedas a single pointedmass behind tubular head. 4. Head of a ram P1. 54:a Suspension hole behind head; filling hole in top of IM 1132: Archaic Temple debris outside Earlier head. Black glaze paint for markings of eyes, head, Stadium II embankment,Trench R-28; NB 12, and ears. 1956, p. 103; Lot 1141, early 5th century B.C., The hares, 1-3, and the following rams belong to with numerousArchaic horse figurines.34 Ducat's group of "Animaux Grossierement Mo- P.L. 0.035, p.H. 0.034 m. deles";see Ducat, pp. 455-457. For a completehare Very pale brown fabric, lOYR 8/4. of this type, see p. 457, fig. 28. Single fragment preserving head of standard ram 2. Head of a hare PI. 53:b type. Horns, which would have been rendered by IP 2061B: Large Circular Pit, Trench H, at coiled strips of clay, broken away. Sloping holes now depth of 15.50-15.80 m.; NB 20, 1958, pp. 303, through missing horns served as suspension holes; filling hole in top of head. Painted decoration 307; Lot 2342, first half 5th centuryB.C. in reddish glaze paint: eye, details of head; dot field IP 2440: Large Circular Pit, Trench H, at depth over body. of 15.65-18.05 m.; NB 20, 1959, p. 324. For the common type of Corinthian ram vase, see P.L. 0.055, p.H. 0.035 m. Ducat, p. 457, fig. 27. White fabric, 5YR 8/1. Two joining fragmentsforming head and part of left 5. Head of a ram PI. 54:b shoulderof hare of same type as 1. Ears brokenaway IM 1189: Archaic Temple debris within Earlier at end. Horizontal suspension hole below ears; fill- Stadium II embankment,Trench R-30; NB 12, ing hole on top of head. Markings in red brown for 1956, p. 119; Lot 421, early 5th centuryB.C. See 4 eyes, muzzle, and ear outlines. Lower body dotted. above. P.L. 0.025, p.H. 0.023 m. 3. Head of a hare P1. 53:c Light-gray fabric, lOYR 7/1. IP 1842: Large Circular Pit, Trench H, at depth Single fragment of head of standardram, preserved of 14.75 m.; NB 15, 1958, p. 131; Lot 1418, first from filling hole forward. Small portion of back be- half 5th centuryB.C. low head also preserved. P.L. 0.055, p.H. 0.022 m. Pinkish white fabric, 5YR 8/2. 6. Head of a ram P1. 54:c Single fragmentpreserving head and ears. Horizon- IP 2012: North Temenos, Trench NTDW, with- tal suspension hole in ear behind head; filling hole in terrace fill south of the second Roman temenos

34 4, 5, and 13 were probablyvotives in the Archaic Temple that were disposed of in the eastern temenos terrace after the fire of ca. 470 B.C. 13 comes from a deposit of ash and burnt animal bones that lies over the Archaic terrace, east of the long altar. 5 comes from a hard-packedsurface over the ash deposit and 4 from a disturbancemade in that surface during Roman times. 236 WILLIAM R. BIERS

wall; NB 15, 1958, p. 179; Lot 1248, mostly Ar- Single fragment of wheelmade haunch of vase in chaic but extending to early 2nd century after form of hare. Preserved:tail and one foot in form of Christ. added strips of clay. Traces of red paint on foot; P.H. 0.016, p.W. 0.031 m. faded dot field overall. White fabric, 10YR 8/2. 10. Body of a resting quadruped P1. 55:b Single fragmentof the head of a ram like 5, brokenat IP 329: Temple of Poseidon,Archaic Temple de- both ends. Neither head nor neck preserved;right bris,35Trench C-8; NB 4,1954, p. 85. horn and one half of left horn preserved.Traces of P.L. 0.069, p.W. 0.035 m. black glaze paint on horns; dots between horns. Reddish yellow fabric, 5YR 7/6. 7. Head of a ram P1. 54:d Six joining fragments making up lower portion of wheelmade, resting animal. Feet rendered in ap- IM 1262: North Temenos, Trench IV, within plied, oval strips of clay. Traces of burning on right early terrace fill south of the second Roman teme- side. Body decoratedwith red-purple dot field; feet nos wall; NB 10, 1956, p. 196, Archaic to early are coveredwith same color. Red zigzag line on belly 5th century B.C. between legs. P.H. 0.03, p.W. 0.035 m. Without the it White fabric, 10YR 8/2. upper portion, is uncertain whether this plastic vase was in the form of a standardhare, a Single fragment preservingneck of larger ram than ram, or even a sphinx. All three often have zigzag the three precedingexamples. Only one half of right lines on the belly, and the proportions and shape horn preserved,and only one half of suspensionhole would be appropriatefor a large hare or ram. still shows. No traces of painted decoration. 11. Body fragment P1. 55:c 8. Head of a ram P1. 54:e IP 2053: Large Circular Pit, Trench H, at depth IP 3180: Large Circular Pit, Trench H; NB 31, of 15.20-15.40 m.; NB 20, 1958, pp. 267, 287; 1960, p. 613; Lot 1469, first half 5th century B.C. Lot 1429, first half 5th century B.C. P.L. 0.047, p.H. 0.03 m. P.L. 0.037, p.H. 0.03 m. White fabric, 10YR 8/2. White fabric, lOYR 8/2, shading to very pale Single crude fragment preserving portion of neck brown on surface, lOYR 8/3. and head with large, cylindricalmuzzle. Small part Two Joining fragmentsof handmadebody with two of right horn preserved. Filling hole in head. No conical buttons of clay for feet. Broken away all traces of painted details, but coarse,red-brown glaze around, leaving only part of lower portion of figure. paint preservedon neck. Surfaceworn. Where preserved,decoration in faded glaze paint showing overall net pattern on the sides, 9. Body fragmentof a hare vase PI. 55:a rectangularpanels before and behind feet on under IP 2061C: Large Circular Pit, Trench H, at surface, and double line of dots within rectangular depth of 15.30-15.70 m.; NB 20, 1958, p. 311; panel between feet. Lot 1421, first half 5th centuryB.C. Without the upper portion of this vase, not to men- P.L. 0.03, p.H. 0.033 m. tion the front and rear portions, it is difficult to un- White fabric, 5YR 8/1. derstand what creature is represented.The netlike

35 During the robbing of the remains of the Classical Temple to provide blocks for the constructionof the Late Antique trans-Isthmian wall, a trench was dug through a portion of the Archaic Temple destruction depositsunderlying the floor of the later temple. The excavatedfill was dumpedinto the foundationtrench for the columns in antis of the Classical pronaos. As a result of new excavation and study of the remains of the Archaic Temple, this area has been defined as the location of the pronaos for the early Archaic Temple. This deposit and the undisturbeddeposits immediatelyto the west of it containedover 130 Archaic silver coins and a large number of small votives. 12 comes from a similar deposit to the west. ARCHAIC PLASTIC VASES FROM ISTHMIA 237 decorationis similar to the so-called "flame fleece" next to foot apparently ran length of figure between commonon lions to indicatethe mane and often used feet. in less canonical forms on rams and panthers. For The cylindrical shape reminds one of some hares flame fleece, see W. R. Biers, "AncientFigure Vases (Ducat, p. 457, fig. 26), but not enough is preserved in the ElvehjemCollection," Bulletin of the Elvehjem to make a positive identification. Museum of Art (University of Wisconsin-Madison), 1987/1988 [1989], pp. 15-16. These creatures,how- 14. Male figure P1. 56 ever, are usually shown in the resting quadruped IP 1708: Large Circular Pit, Trench H, at depth form as 10. The overall shape might work for a bird, of 12.25 m.; NB 15, 1958, p. 101; Lot 1461, first which has a roundedbody, or for one of the combina- half 5th century B.C. tion creaturesthat use a bird shape, such as a siren or P.H. 0.055, W. 0.047 m. a lion bird (Ducat, p. 451, figs. 22-25). The treat- Very pale brown fabric, lOYR 8/3. ment of the feet is unusual for these creaturesand the For description and bibliography, see pp. 228-230 decorationis not appropriate,at least in comparison above. to those that have so far been recognized. 15. Head from a plastic vase P1. 57:c, d 12. Body fragment P1. 55:d IP 3421: North Temenos, east extensionof second IP 349: Temple of Poseidon,Archaic Temple de- North Temenos trench, within fill south of second bris,36Trench C-6; NB 4, 1954, pp. 91, 93; Lot Roman temenos wall; NB 6, 1954, p. 93; Lots 15, 260, early5th centuryB.C. 70, 90, and 196, to middle of 1st century after P.L. 0.032, p.H. 0.032, D. 0.04 m. Christ. Light brownish gray fabric, lOYR 6/2. P.H. 0.04, p.W. 0.032 m. White fabric, shading to pale yellow on surface, Two joining fragmentsforming roundedrear end of 5Y 8/3-1OYR 8/1. wheeltmadeanimal. Two feet preserved as added rectangularclay slabs. Discolored by burning; only For description,see pp. 230-231 above. traces of decoration preserved:dot field over body; 16. Duck P1. 58 behind feet, design in form of thick circle (diam. IP 1841: Large Circular Pit, Trench H, at depth 0.014-0.015 m.) within which is a circular area of 15.00-15.30 m.; NB 20, 1958, pp. 259, 263; formedby ca. 15 black dots (anus?). Lot 1415, first half 5th century B.C. The oval shape of the fragment would be appropri- L. 0.071, H. 0.057 m. ate for a number of animals, especially hares and White fabric, lOYR 8/2. rams, but the small feet are once again unusual. For description and bibliography, see pp. 231-232 13. Body fragment P1. 55:e above. IP 3053: outside Earlier Stadium II embankment, 17. Fragment of a sphinx vase P1. 59:a-c Trench R-28, sacrificialash deposit over Archaic IP 3915: North Temenos, Trench NW-Wi, terrace;NB 12, 1956, p. 113. See 4 above. amidst building blocks and debris from Archaic P.L. 0.037, p.H. 0.039, p.W. 0.023 m. Temple; NB 50, 1966, p. 34; Lot 2284, Archaic White fabric, lOYR 8/2. and early 5th centuryB.C. See 18. Single, cylindrical wheelmade fragment preserving P.H. 0.06, p.L. 0.06 m. right rear side and one rectangularadded foot. Dot White fabric, lOYR 8/2. field on body in relativelyordered rows, at rear in no For description and bibliography, see pp. 232-234 particular order. Foot black; wavy lines preserved above.

36 See note 35 above. 238 WILLIAM R. BIERS

18. Fragment of bird vase P1. 59:d P.L. 0.045, p.W. 0.023, p.H. 0.03 m. IP 3916: North Temenos, Trench NW-Wi, White fabric, lOYR 8/2. amidst building blocks and debris from Archaic For descriptionand discussion,see p. 234 above. Temple; NB 50, 1966, p. 34; Lot 2284, Archaic and early 5th centuryB.C.37

WILLIAMR. BIERS UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-COLUMBIA Department of Art History and Archaeology 109 Pickard Hall University of Missouri Columbia, MO 65211

37 The dumping of destructiondebris from the ArchaicTemple into the northwestgully did not occur until the third quarter of the 5th century B.C., presumablyafter the Classical Temple was completed. PLATE 53

a. Head of a hare IP 2061A

b. Head of a hare IP 2440, IP 2061B

c. Head of a hare IP 1842

WILLIAM R. BIERS: ARCHAIC PLASTIC VASES FROM ISTHMIA PLATE 54

b. Head of a ram IM 1189 a. Head of a ram IM 1132

c. Head of a ram IP 2012 d. Head of a ram IM 1262 e. Head of a ram IP 3180

WILLIAM R. BIERS: ARCHAIC PLASTIC VASES FROM ISTHMIA PLATE 55

b. Resting quadruped IP 329

a. Body of resting hare IP 2061C

c. Body fragment IP 2053

.~ ~~ILA .BES RHICPATCVSSFO SHI

d. Body fragment IP 349 e. Body fragment IP 3053 .71~~~~~~~~~~T

b. Left side

a. Squatting komast IP 1708, front view

c. Right side view d. Back view e. Underside

WILLIAm R. BIERS: ARCHAIC PLASTIC VASES FROM ISTHMIA PLATE 57

b. Fragmentarykomast in Corinth C-62-624. Reproducedby a. Squatting man, Munich, Staatliche permission Antikensammlungen6636. Reproducedby permission

WILIA R.BES_RHI LSTCVSSFO SHI

c. Crude head IP 3421, front view d. IP 3421, back view PLATE 58

-*O

a. Duck vase IP 1841, side view

. .~~~~

b. Front view c. Back view

WILLIAM R. BIERS: ARCHAIC PLASTIC VASES FROM ISTHMIA PLATE 59

b. IP 3915, front view a. Sphinx vase IP 3915, left side view

c. IP 3915, right side view d. Body fragment IP 3916

WILLIAM R. BIERS: ARCHAIC PLASTIC VASES FROM ISTHMIA a. Bird vase, Vienna, KunsthistorischesMuseum b. IV 3567, back view IV 3567, side view. Reproducedby permission c. IV 3567, undersideshowing filling hole

d ~~~~~~~~~~~d.Bird vase, New York, M.M.A. 41.162.22. ^

e. M.M.A. 41.162.22, underside

WILLIAM R. BIERS: ARCHAIC PLASTIC VASES FROM ISTHMIA